Baseball: ECU's Godwin speaks to Craven/Pamlico Pirate Club

East Carolina baseball coach Billy Godwin spoke to the Craven/Pamlico Pirate Club members at Captain Ratty’s in New Bern Monday.

Chuck Beckley, Sun Journal

By Adam Thompson, Sun Journal

Published: Monday, February 3, 2014 at 05:18 PM.

The snow is melting away, the temperature topped 70 degrees and Billy Godwin was in town talking baseball.

The ninth-year head coach of the East Carolina Pirates is excited to begin another season.

“It’s here whether we want it to be or not. This is the time of the year to get going and start playing. We are excited about it,” Godwin said.

Godwin was invited to speak at Captain Ratty’s on Monday as a guest at the Craven/Pamlico Pirate Club Hot Stove event.

He spoke about the state of his baseball team and answered questions. The Pirates open the season on Feb. 14 against James Madison.

“I speak to a lot of groups and these guys love baseball, they are at a lot of our games and are very knowledgeable fans. This is one of my favorite events to go to all year,” Godwin said. “They are just so passionate about baseball and what we are doing at East Carolina.”

Butch Ricks, President of the Craven/Pamlico chapter of the Pirate Club, wanted to hear an update on East Carolina’s pitching staff.

The snow is melting away, the temperature topped 70 degrees and Billy Godwin was in town talking baseball.

The ninth-year head coach of the East Carolina Pirates is excited to begin another season.

“It’s here whether we want it to be or not. This is the time of the year to get going and start playing. We are excited about it,” Godwin said.

Godwin was invited to speak at Captain Ratty’s on Monday as a guest at the Craven/Pamlico Pirate Club Hot Stove event.

He spoke about the state of his baseball team and answered questions. The Pirates open the season on Feb. 14 against James Madison.

“I speak to a lot of groups and these guys love baseball, they are at a lot of our games and are very knowledgeable fans. This is one of my favorite events to go to all year,” Godwin said. “They are just so passionate about baseball and what we are doing at East Carolina.”

Butch Ricks, President of the Craven/Pamlico chapter of the Pirate Club, wanted to hear an update on East Carolina’s pitching staff.

The Pirates return preseason All-American hurler Jeff Hoffman, who posted a 3.20 Earned Run Average last season.

“We try to bring Billy in before the season opens to give us a rundown of what’s going on,” Ricks said. “It’s always nice to have him in.

“He will talk about every phase in the game – pitching, hitting, fielding and some of his personnel.”

The Pirates had a record of 31-26 last season, with a 14-10 mark in Conference USA. Leading hitters from last year, Drew Reynolds (.322) and Zach Houchins (.317, 5 HR, 42 RBIs), are back.

But Godwin is really ecstatic about his pitching staff.

“I think our pitching can be really special,” he said. “I think we are going to be good on the mound, but we have to stay healthy. If you want to be good in one area, you want to be good on the mound.”

The Pirates have a tough non-conference schedule. They travel to powerhouse Virginia. They have a home-and-home schedule with North Carolina and N.C. State.

In the Keith LeClair Classic, ECU hosts Western Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Ohio State. It plays Wake Forest in Wilson in March.

“I think it prepares us because our kids won’t be stunned by anything when they get into the league,” Godwin said. “They are not over-matched by the talent because we play a good non-conference schedule.

“Our expectations are always the same, and that’s to win Conference USA, and if we do that, you are going to be in a regional.”

Godwin answered questions about the Pirates joining the American Athletic Conference next year.

“I’m going to talk about our club, and then answer questions,” Godwin said. “When I come to this, I want to hear what they have to say. I think that’s important because they have passion and know a lot about our program.”

Godwin mentioned that 15 of his former players are either in the big leagues or playing minor league ball, including St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Seth Maness.

Former Pirate, and West Craven graduate, Shawn Armstrong is going to Double A spring training camp in the Cleveland Indians organization.

“I think Shawn is on the fast track,” Godwin said. “He had an injury last year and that kind of set him back. I saw him the other day and watched him throw a little bit.

“I know he is well thought of in that organization, already to be in Double A. Hopefully by the end of the year, he will be called up.”

The Craven/Pamlico Pirate Club had 143 members at the end of 2013. Ricks said the goal is 175 by the end of this year.

The Pirate Club will hold its annual Pirate Armada in the spring, and then its charitable Roger Thrift Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament in June.